"The trade in drugs, particularly class a drugs, brings misery and addiction to those who are the end users.

"It leads to crime on a major scale and is a real scourge on the law abiding population of this city.

"It breeds territoriality, which in turn leads to violence on a major scale. Often that violence leads to serious injury and death.

"The open warfare between the so-called postcode gangs, so notorious in Sheffield, is an example of the death and destruction that follows in the wake of drug dealers."

The court heard that police attended the home of Chalmer's partner's mother in September 2015 and recovered a Colt .45 calibre self loading pistol.

Officers also discovered an 'arsenal' of over 200 rounds of 9mm, .44 inch and 0.762 ammunition, the jury was told.

Judge Watson described it as 'high powered' ammunition.

The search also led to the discovery of a 'substantial quantity' of heroin, cocaine and cannabis.

Judge Watson said: "Analysis of your phone records and those of Jodie Denton, your partner, reveals that for well over a year prior to your arrest you had been dealing in class a and b drugs on a reasonably substantial scale.

"As you were in the habit of cutting the drugs from reasonably high levels of purity to very low levels of purity - three per cent - the profits you were making must have been very substantial."

Judge Watson said he hoped the long sentence would deter others tempted to embark on a life of drug related crime.